Still Yours
by Gleek215
Summary: Picks up right after the egging in Funk, mostly a collaboration of missing scenes from then on. All characters will be included as it progresses. Better than it sounds. Read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer- Sadly, I own nothing. Sucks, doesnt it? O_e Enjoy!**

**Still Yours**

**Rachels POV**

All my senses, everything escaped me the moment that final egg was cracked on my head. Now the only thing I'm aware of is the yolk running through my hair, over my clothes, and down my face, I don't even bother to wipe any of it off just yet. I'm not sure how long I've been standing here, I just keep staring at the place that was previously occupied by Jesse when he stabbed me in the back and in the heart by going back to Vocal Adrenaline. My feet begin to move on their own, and I find myself sitting on a bench just outside the main building. I just keep replaying it over in my mind, all of it. The crack of the first egg as it hit the back of my head, the sound of their laughter, the look on Jesse's face as all this was unraveling, and the cold, unfamiliar look in his eyes when he cracked the final egg. I have no idea how long I've been out here, but somewhere in the back of my mind I know I'm going to be late for Glee. Still, I cant force myself to stand just yet. The tears that have been stinging my eyes since the last of the eggs were thrown finally spill down my cheeks, though I dont bother to wipe them away. _I should have seen this coming a mile away, I should have listened to the rest of them. There was always that nagging feeling I had when we were in Glee, but I always just- _My thoughts are cut short when I hear a familiar voice speak my name, but don't dare to turn to face them.

"Rachel?" The voice asks again. They're getting closer, and its obvious that they are either worried or confused. Who wouldn't be though? I'm sitting on a bench by myself covered in eggshells and yolk. The person takes the final few steps and speaks again, now standing almost directly in front of me. I still cant will myself to look up at them. "Rachel, what are you doing out here? Your usually the first one to class." Theres a momentary pause and I can feel there eyes all over me. "What..? What the hell happened to you? Who did this?" His voice is getting angrier and more alarmed. I still cant respond, though my tears give it away. Finally I find my voice, though its no louder than a whisper.

"It was a trap, and I walked right into it" I whisper, willing my voice not to break. The man in front of me lets out a long, frustrated breath before kneeling down in front of me.

"Rachel, who did this? When did all this happen?" His voice is rushed, but I can tell hes trying to be patient. When I dont answer right away, he stands to his feet again and gently takes my arm, pulling me up.

After another few seconds, as he is pulling me through the halls, I can tell he is no longer trying to hide his anger. His face is red and the vein in his forehead is sticking out. All too soon, we reach the Choir room and hes pulling the door open. The talking that was going on throughout the Glee club comes to an abrupt halt once he lets me in. Several gasps, a few 'Oh My God's, and a mean laugh from Santana erupt after a few seconds of utter silence. Mr. Schuster, Mercedes, Tina, Kurt, and Quinn are all at my side in an instant. Leading me over to a seat, the questions begin as Kurt and Tina begin pulling eggshells out of my hair.

"Who did this?"

"When did this happen? Is this why you were late?"

"Do you want to go to the nurse?"

"How many were there?"

"Who did this?"

My head is spinning, but not from their questions, I can handle those. The image of Jesse's face when he cracked that egg over my forehead, along with the words he said right before, continue to swirl around in my mind, forcing all other thoughts out. I should have known that something was up when he called me and asked to meet him in the parking lot. The look on his face was different, his smile was wrong; devious. I've had my share of heartbreaks before, but the fact that he could just turn his back on me the way he did made this hurt more than I had ever expected.

"This isn't right!" Noah's voice booms out to the class, bringing me back to the present. Hes pacing back and forth, tugging at his mohawk. "They cant just get away with this! I wont let them! Whoever it was is going to pay, this is bullshit!" He goes on. Quinn finally stands up to try and calm him down, which seemed to work, though he is still breathing hard.

"Puck, where did you find her?" I hear Artie ask from somewhere nearby.

"She was on the bench outside by the parking lot. She's barely said a word since you guys sent me out to find her" He explains, slowing his pace down.

"Rachel," Mr. Schuster says as he kneels down in front of me. Finally, I look up and see the pain and sympathy written across his face. "Who did this to you?"

Theres a moment of silence before I'm able to find my voice again and answer. "Jesse. Him and the rest of Vocal Adrenaline" Once the words leave my lips, the bell rings and Kurt pulls out the last of the visible eggshells. I can feel the sorrowful looks on most of their faces as they pass by me to leave, but I dont bother to look up.

"We're going to get this guy, Berry. He's gonna pay." Puck says as him and Quinn leave together. I dont bother getting up, I cant find the strength to walk again. So I sit there in silence as Mr. Schuster tells me he needs to go do something and will be back soon. I'm in the exact same position I was in when I arrived to class when I feel someones hand take hold of my own as it sits in my lap. Looking up, I'm met by Finn's worried eyes.

We sit in silence for I dont know how long before either one of us speaks. The expression on his face is a mixture of several things; Concern, sympathy, anger, and revenge. Wordlessly, he stands with my hand still in his and leads me out to his car. Opening the door for me, I slide in and within minutes we are headed towards my house. Once we arrive, he takes my keys from my backpack and opens the front door, letting me in first before following.

Dad and Daddy are at some conference together, so the house is its usual quiet self apart from mine and Finns footsteps on the stairs. Once we get to my room, I close the door before turning to him. Niether of us have said a word to each other yet. I give him the only small, fragile smile I can manage before slipping into the bathroom thats attached to my bedroom while he sits patiently on the bed.

As I remove each article of clothing, I try my best to avoid looking at my reflection in the mirror when I'm still such a mess. The hot water of the shower seems to relax my muscles and helps to bring me back to the present, forcing me to face what happened. The silent tears that fall slowly down my cheeks mix with the water pouring from above me, and I do my best to hold back my sobs. I wash my hair vigorously in attempt to get all the small eggshell pieces and yolk completely out, but I can still smell some of it on me. Once I make sure I'm fully cleaned off, I turn the water off, dry off quickly, and wrap a robe around me before slowly walking back into my room.

A part of me is surprised to see Finn still sitting there looking at the pictures on my desk, but the other part of me knew he wouldn't leave; he is too much of a good person to just leave when I need someone the most. Still without a word, I quickly get a pair of pajamas from my dresser and head back to the bathroom. A brief glance at the clock on the wall tells me I had been in the shower for a little over an hour or so. After changing and brushing my teeth, I hesitantly make my way back into the bedroom to find him in the same position. When he finally looks up, our eyes lock and I feel my lip quiver as a wave of fresh tears overwhelm me. He is up in an instant, holding me to him as I slowly fall apart.

"I thought I meant something to him, I didn't think he was going to h-hurt me like this. Hurt us like this" I manage to say through my sobs. Its the most I've spoken since the whole thing happened, and Finn just holds me closer without a word. I'm not sure how long we stayed like this, but I am finally able to get my sobs under control as they turned to small sniffles and hiccups. There is a long silence between the two of us as we just hold onto each other. Its him that breaks the silence this time.

"I slept with Santana" His voice is soft, but broken. Hes ashamed of what he did and its obvious in the way he says her name, but theres something else in his voice as well. He was afraid to tell me, of hurting me again. Another few minutes pass before I nod.

"I know" I say simply, my voice even though somehow still full of emotion. "I heard her and Brittany talking about it after you told me you couldn't go through with it" I had made my peace with the fact that he had lost his virginity to her, it wasn't like it was hard to get Santana into bed, and she would be the first to admit it.

"I'm sorry, Rachel" The sorrow in his voice puts an ache in my heart, and all I can do is hold onto him tighter, my face against his chest. We stay this way for a few more minutes before he speaks up again. His voice is barely above a whisper, but definately loud enough for me to hear. "I wanted it to be you" He half-whispers, causing my eyes to tear up once again. "I wanted you to be my first"

Letting out a deep breath, I nodded once again. "I know, so did I" It isn't easy to admit, but its the truth. Ever since the day in the auditorium which now seems so long ago, my bodys reacted in a funny way whenever he's around.

"But I was jealous, and mad, and when you told me you had done it with that...asshole-" I cut him off to remind him of his language, which he appologizes for before continuing. "I didn't even want to think about what I had done with Santana, I was ashamed and disgusted with myself. Thats why I lied and said I couldn't go through with it. Then I heard Mercedes and Kurt talking about how you didn't actually sleep with him, which only made me feel worse" He goes on, almost talking into my hair now. Letting out a deep breath, he continues. "I'm sorry, Rachel" he repeats. "You know that I never meant to hurt you."

Nodding again, I realize how much guilt hes been feeling over all of this. "I know, Finn. And I'm sorry I lied too. I was upset and hurt that you agreed to go out with Santana, even though I had no right to since I was dating..." My voice trails off as I shake my head lightly. "My point is, I was wrong to try and hurt you by lying. It turns out you were right though, I ended up getting my heart broken" My voice sounds pathetic to my own ears at this point, so I simply shake it off. I'm not going to let this get the better of me. "I guess its better this way, you know?" I say as I finally pull back to look at him. "I'm better off without him, and his stupid little prank isnt going to stop me from doing what I want to do" I add as confidently as I can, a small smile gracing my features.

His answering smile is enough to make my stomache flip and my heart skip a beat, "Now theres the Rachel Berry we all know" His smile continues to grow as I let out a soft laugh.

"Thanks for...everything, Finn. I really appreciate you staying with me like this, I needed it" As the words escape me, I hear a door downstairs open and close, followed by two very familiar voices; Dad and Daddy are home.

"Dont worry about it, you dont have to thank me. Its...Its what I'm here for" Its obvious that hes holding something back, but I dont push. "I should probably get going, but I'll pick you up for school in the morning since we left your car in the parking lot. Is that alright?" He asks, the smile tugging at the corners of his lips is contagious and I soon find myself smiling as well.

"That would be wonderful, thank you" I answer with a small nod before hugging him goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow, Finn."

As we pull apart, he gives me the small half-smile that he knows makes me weak. "Sweet dreams, Rachel" These are his last words before he departs from my bedroom, leaving me standing in the middle of the large room watching the door as it closes behind him. The rest of the night passes without much incident, and I'm soon crawling into bed. When I close my eyes, however, its not Jesse's cold stare that I see; its the concerned and longing eyes of one Finn Hudson.

To Be Continued..?

**A/N**- This isnt my first story, but it is my first on this account and for Glee. Not sure if I should make this longer or not, but thats where you readers come in! (: Reviews are amazing, so tell me what you guys think of this as my first fanfic as a Gleek 3 Should I continue with this, or keep it as a one-shot? I was thinking of making this into a series of missing scenes from the show, not just for Rachel and Finn, but others as well. Thoughts? Suggestions? Any questions you have so far? Thanks lovelys (:


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**- Before I start off, thank you so much for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are liking the first chapter so much, and really hope you stick with me (:

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**Disclaimer-** I own nothing, unfortunately :P

**Finns POV**

The next few days passed by without too much drama, which I was more than thankful for. Rachel and I had come to a new point in our friendship, but things were still a little rocky. For the first couple of days after the whole egging incident, she simply wasn't the same. Her hand never shot up to answer questions in class, she stopped trying to push people to do their best in Glee, passed up opportunities to practice in the auditorium with Tina, and even stopped putting gold stars next to her name; that was the red flag for me. I remember the exact moment I realized that this went deeper than any of us had thought. It was in Spanish, right after our final quiz of the year. Rachel sat two seats behind me, and as we were passing our papers up I noticed it; her name written at the top of the paper in her perfect hand writing with no gold star next to it. Tossing her a curious glance, I passed the stack of papers to Mr. Schuster. I could tell instantly that he noticed it too when he was skimming through them, as he briefly looked up at her with the same confused expression. No gold star.

To anyone else, this would seem like no big deal. But as it happens, Rachel Berry is clearly not just another person, never just another face in the crowd. Where ever her name was, a gold star would follow it. She had explained to me on more than one occasion that it was a metaphor for the star she would eventually become, but it wasn't until the stars stopped that I realized something wasn't right. Had she given up on her ambition, or had she simply grown out of the gold stars? When I was able to catch up with Puck the next day, I pointed out all the things that seemed to be lacking with her lately; he simply brushed it off as Rachel still being embarrassed by the whole egg fiasco. Then I brought up the stars. Something in him clicked then, because the same confused look that was once etched across mine and Mr. Schue's faces mirrored onto Pucks.

"You said you had a class with her last year, dude. Has she ever not put a star next to her name?" I asked retorically as we walked to class. That seemed to end the conversation, but I knew Puck wouldn't let it die with that; simply without doing anything. So it didn't surprise me when my phone went off at midnight that same night, and he told me to meet him a few blocks from Jesses house. As the night went on, we managed to slash one of his tires without making it too obvious, along with keying the back side of it. Needless to say, I went to sleep with a smile on my face that night. Word spread around school within the next few days, and it was obvious when it had reached Rachel; she seemed to be holding back a smirk whenever anyone passing by in the halls talked about it.

"Yeah, apparently someone completely scratched up the back and there was a huge whole in one of the tires. Nobody has any idea who did it though, so I'm guessing the kid must have a lot of enemies" I recognized the voice as someone from my English class as they passed by with another student, still talking about mine and Pucks handy work.

"I have a pretty good guess as to who it was" Rachel murmured quietly as she put the last of her books in her locker before closing it and turning to look at me with a small smile. "Thank you, by the way. I dont approve of how you went about getting your revenge, but I still appreciate the concern." Her voice is lower, as she is trying not give it away that it was us who did the dirty deed. It isn't much, but its enough to cause my heart to give an unsteady thump against my rib cage; I'm almost surprised she couldn't hear it.

"Anytime, Berry" The words aren't mine, though I was about to say something in return when Puck came up and started walking towards the Choir room with us. A soft laugh passed through her lips, and the sound is like music to my ears._ When did I become such a girl? _I thought to myself as we continued to walk together. There was still a sadness in her eyes when she smiled, but that would fade with time. All too soon, we got to the Choir room, and some of them were still giving Rachel that sympathetic, worried look she had gotten so many times before. Ignoring them, we both took our seats as Mr. Schuester started class. A part of me was still expecting Rachel's hand to shoot up and her voice to fill the room as she explained her ideas for regionals; that part of me was let down.

Things continued this way for another few days until after the final bell rang out on Friday. I was headed towards my locker when I heard it; that familiar voice. Somewhere close by, the voice I'd been waiting for over a week to hear was finally singing again. Following where the sound was coming from, I soon found myself just outside the auditorium doors. Opening them as quietly as I possibly could, I slipped inside and listened as she belted out the lyrics.

_I'd put myself first, and make the rules as I go._

_Cause I know that she'd be faithful, _

_waitin' for me to come home_

_To come home.._

_If I were a boy, I think I could understand_

_how it feels to love a girl._

_I swear I'd be a better man._

_I'd listen to her, cause I know how it hurts..._

The words continue to flow through the huge room, and I simply stand out of sight and listen to the sound of her voice. Rachel told me once that singing was one thing that always seemed to help her when something was wrong, it made her stronger somehow. I hadn't realized it until just then, but she was right; when she sang, it almost sounded as if she was putting more force behind each word that escaped her. She was dealing with what had happened with St. Jackass on her own terms, the only way she knew how. All too soon, the song ended and her voice drifted out with the music. I glanced out to the stage from my hiding spot to find her facing the other way, and quickly made my escape. Just as I reached my locker, I spotted her through the corner of my eye turning the corner. Looking over at her completely, I faked a surprised expression.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you would have been long gone by now." The hallway was almost completely deserted at this point, with the exception of the two of us and a few freshman down the hall headed towards the door.

"Just had something to do before I left for the weekend." I looked back into my locker when she said this, both to put my books back and to hide the smirk that was threatening to break across my face. "What about you? Don't you and Noah live for the weekends?"

I shrugged before answering, closing my locker while glancing over at her once again. "I just got a little distracted by something and lost track of time" I said simply. After quickly looking over my shoulder, I turned my attention back to her with a small smile. "You need a lift home?"

"Thanks for the offer, but not today. I have to help dad and daddy with a few things, and if I'm being honest, time always seems to get away from us when me and you hang out" Her tone was light and somewhat playful as she gave me a final smile before sauntering past me towards the door.

"Oh, and Rachel," I called out as she reached for the handle. She turned halfway to look at me with a curious expression, so I simply smiled before continuing. "You sounded great in the auditorium just now" The blush that rose to her cheeks was impossible to miss, as was the smile that she tried biting back.

"See you Monday, Finn" And with that, she was gone, and I was left standing there with a smile on my face and the knowledge that Rachel Berry was recovering.

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**A/N**- What did you think? I know its definitely not as good as the first chapter, but it will keep getting better soon enough. I love hearing what you guys think, so keep reviewing! (: Any ideas you have for the story that you want to see, let me know and I'll do my best to make it happen! If you want some outtakes from this story, let me know and I'll be happy to post them as well. If there is any particular missing scene you want written, leave a review with where it left off or whatever and I'll do my best to post it. (It doesn't have to be for Finn and Rachel, it could be for anybody.) Reviews are awesome!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer- I own nothing, sadly O_e**

Finns POV

"Alright, so now onto the real reason your here" Seans voice commanded as our small talk came to a close. I let a sigh escape me as I thought of where to begin, and before I realized what I was doing, I began to pace back and forth across the room. Its true that Rachel was recovering from what had happened, that much was obvious by how much she was talking during the day. To anyone who didn't know her, they wouldn't realize that her spouting on and on about her dreams of mother chickens coming after her was actually a really big step. She had already begun talking to everyone when I had gotten to class, and I was unable to hide my smile as her voice was the first thing I heard when I walked in. Once his name escaped her lips, though, something surged through me. It was the same feeling I had gotten when I first found out about the egging. I could tell the same feeling spread through Puck, because when I looked over at him, his jaw was clenched and Quinn had her hand on his trying to calm him down. I still hated Puck for what he did, but we'd reached an understanding about the whole thing, and agreed to stay civilized. All the while, Rachel continued telling everyone about her nightmare as they looked on with concern. One thing led to another and soon enough, me, Puck, Matt, Mike, and even Kurt were headed towards the door when Mr. Schue stopped us.

"Those...assholes from Vocal Adrenaline hurt her. That douchbag broke her heart, then egged her in the parking lot. I'd never seen her so...broken before, it was depressing" I explained, mostly talking to myself, though I knew Sean was listening. "She barely talked to anyone for days. She stopped singing, quit pushing everyone to do their best, and the gold stars! Its like they've disappeared or something, she never uses them anymore!" I ranted, still pacing back and forth.

"Wait, wait, wait. What gold stars, dude? What are you talking about?" At his question, I realized how long it had been since I'd been here. With another sigh, I shook my head and ran a frustrated hand through my hair.

"Alright, so you know how Rachel was dating that guy Jessie? Well, he was originally from Vocal Adrenaline, who is our biggest competition. Then he transfered to our school and joined New Directions to be closer to Rachel, or so he said. None of us besides Rachel really bought that. Anyway, About a little over a week ago, he went back to Vocal Adrenaline. The next day, he called Rachel and told her to meet him in the parking lot or whatever. She went out, he was standing there alone, so she thought everything was fine. Then before she knew it, his stupid friends threw eggs at her while he stood there doing nothing. Eventually, he cracked the last egg on her head and they all left her standing there" I tried my best to keep my voice calm, but I could practically feel my face getting red in anger as I explained the entire thing. When I finally glanced over at Sean, he looked completely shocked.

"So did you kill the son of a bitch, or not?" His tone was joking, but I could tell that true resentment for Jessie lay beneath it.

"Trust me, I was tempted to" I responded, my voice deep and furious. Just then, the image of Rachel crying in my arms that night flew back into my mind, and my anger softened into pity and remorse. "You should have seen her, man. She was a complete wreck. We stood in her room for at least an hour as she cried. I don't think I've ever seen her so upset." Finally sitting back down, I rested my elbows on my knees and placed my head in my hands. "It killed me to see her like that" There was a long silence between the two of us as we lost ourselves in our own minds.

"Your really into this girl, arent you?" His voice broke through my thoughts, and all I could do for a moment was let out a humor-less laugh.

"Dude, you have no idea" My voice was somewhat strained, but I went on after pausing for a moment. "It was never like this with Quinn" I admitted, "I mean.. Yeah, I felt bad when she was upset about something, but it was never this...intense. I never felt the need to, I dont know, protect her the way I do with Rachel. In the beginning, she kinda scared me, you know?" I explained with a small chuckle, starring at nothing in particular on the ground. "She had these huge eyes and looked like she was about to pounce on someone, she talked too much and was bossy as hell, but.."

"But you still managed to fall for her" Sean cut me off, smirking knowingly at me.

"..I. Wait, what?" I asked, finally looking back up at him with a shocked expression forming on my face.

"Oh, come on, dude. Admit it. Shes all you ever talk about when your here, you just said you never felt like this with Quinn, you wanted to kill the sorry jackass that hurt her, and now your face is turning beat red at just the mention of her. Admit it, Hudson. Your hooked" I could feel my face getting hotter when he mentioned it, and was tempted to flip him off for pointing it out.

"Your insane, I'm not in love with-" Before I could finish my sentence, however, my phone began ringing in my pocket. As the music from 'Dont Stop Believing' filled the room, my heart gave an unsteady beat in my chest as I saw whose name lit up the screen. Unable to stop it, I felt a smile pulling at the ends of my mouth as I flipped my phone open to answer it.

"Hey Rachel" I greeted as I stood from where I was seated and began walking back and forth across the room again.

"..You like up like a freakin' firework whenever she calls" Sean mummbled, still smirking as he watched me pace.

"Hey Finn," her voice flowed through the phone, causing my smile to widen just a bit more. "Are you busy? I need some help with something, and Dad and Daddy wont be home till after eleven tonight." Apparently, Sean heard her question, because the next thing I knew, he was yelling.

"Hes not busy, Rachel. Hes on his way right now" Laughing at himself for his achievement, he looked satistfied as I gave him a half furious, half thankful look.

"Apparently, I'm on my way" I said into the phone with a light laugh, grabbing my backpack from beside the bed. "I'll see you in a bit" I added before hanging up. Turning my attention back to Sean, I shook my head before turning his hand over for a fist bump. "Thanks man, I'll be back in a few days"

"Yeah, yeah. Go tend to your wife" he teased with another laugh as I made my way out the door.

Several minutes later, I found myself pulling into the Berry's driveway with the smile still plastered on my face. Upon getting out of the car, I was met by the sight of Rachel practically bouncing towards me wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt with a smile on her face; something I never thought I'd see her in.

"Hey" I greeted happily as I met her halfway. "So what did you need my help with?"

"My room. I'm rearranging it and I need some help moving the furniture. I'll even pay you" She offered, causing me to laugh as we started towards her house. Though her eyes were bright, it wasn't hard to miss the fact that the stars were still missing. Tossing that thought aside, I followed her into the house as she talked about how she wanted her room to look.

"You don't have to pay me, I'm happy to help" I explained as we reached her room. Turning briefly to smile at me, she soon opened her bedroom door and let me follow her in.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the two of us lifting various heavy objects and talking about Glee club; we both expressed our nervousness about regionals and how much things had changed since the beginning of the year. As the hours wore on, it was plain to see the stars that were slowly but surely returning to her eyes. An idea struck me as I was leaving, and I made a mental note to stop by a store on my way home. After a quick good-bye, followed by a trip to Staples, I went home, got ready for bed, and thought over all that had happened in the past six or so hours. Before I fell asleep, I promised myself that I would do whatever it took to make sure Rachel got back to her usual self, and my small, simple plan for the morning was definitely a step in that direction.

I was talking to Matt when I saw her arrive at school the next morning, and couldn't hold back the smile as I watched her take in what I had done. It was nothing big by any standards, but it was a start; and her reaction was enough to keep my practically euphoric for the rest of the day.

As she stopped in front of her locker, a look of confusion followed by awe crossed her face. She quickly removed the packet of gold stars I had tapped to the front of her locker and examined them with a huge smile before holding them to her chest and closing her eyes as her smile grew. By this point, I had completely tuned Matt out, and he turned to see what I was looking at. Once he saw Rachel standing by her locker, he rolled his eyes and muttered something about me being 'In so freakin' deep', but I barely caught it. After opening and closing her locker, Rachel stuck the stars into her bag, still smiling, and made her way to class.

I sat in my first two classes that morning in a complete daze, and practically ran to third hour Spanish in order to see her. Once I got there, I saw her talking to Mr. Schuester about something right before the bell rang. Class started soon after, and a few minutes into class, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. Turning slightly in my seat, the person behind me handed me a folded up note without saying a word. I quickly opened the note and my heart beat sped up in my chest as I read over the words on the thin sheet of paper.

_You're one of a kind, Finn Hudson. Thank you._

_Rachel Berry_

And next to her name was the reason I nearly jumped out of my seat and took her into my arms. A gold star rested next to her neat hand writing; all felt right in the world for that instant. Turning in my seat to look at her, I was met by her warm smile as she looked back at me with a look that I couldn't quite place. Adoration? Thanks? Whatever it was, it caused my heart to do another firm jolt in my chest. Before I knew it, however, Mr. Schue had picked the note up off my desk and was skimming over it. His expression changed when he noticed the difference too, and it occured to me that he trying to bite back a smile as well. "Stay focused, people" He said firmly, glancing between Rachel and I as he placed the note back on my desk. I found a new respect for gold stars that day, and knew with confidence, as I glanced back at Rachel one last time, that things were going to be okay.

**A/N**- Okay, so this chapter was kind of long, but definitely fun to write. It might not have been the best yet, but I'm proud of it! Tell me what you guys think, as always. Your reviews are what keeps me going, so please continue to send them! I love any suggestions you might have, so dont hold back. I will be diving into the other characters pretty soon, so stick with me. I'm also starting a collection of missing scene one-shots, and I'll let you all know when those go up! If theres anything you want to see in there, let me know.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N- **First of all, I want to say thank you guys so much for your reviews! I'm so glad you all like the story and your reviews definitely help me to write faster. To answer one of the questions I got... Yes, Quinn and Puck are semi-dating at this point. That will also be explored a little more as the story progresses. Sorry this chapter is so short (and kind of sucks, if I'm being completely honest) but I needed a place to start the build up of where I'm going (: Keep the reviews coming and thanks for sticking with me!

-Lexi

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**Disclaimer- Is this really needed anymore? O_e**

**Rachel's POV**

"Alright, now you cant say that didn't feel amazing" Tina's voice came from behind me. Turning, I saw her, Artie, and Mercedes looking at me with matching smiles. They all knew as well as I did that this was exactly the kind of closure I needed after the whole egging debacle.

"It felt incredible" I agreed with a small laugh, "The looks on their faces were priceless, especially when we did the whole line up thing" Before I could say anymore, Mr. Schue came over to talk to us.

"You guys nailed it, they never saw it coming" The pride in his voice was impossible to miss as he spoke, his smile seeming to grow with every word that escaped him. "You definitely brought the funk. I wouldn't be surprised if their all mildly depressed at this point" He joked, causing a small round of laughter through all of us. "Alright, now lets head back. We've got Regionals coming up soon and not a lot of time to prepare" At his words, we all began filing out of the auditorium, talking amongst ourselves while Vocal Adrenaline made their way out as well, looking defeated.

As I followed everyone else, still smiling to myself as I thought of the looks on the competitions faces, I could feel someone walking close by. Thinking everyone from New Directions was ahead of me, I looked up to see Finn with a proud smirk on his face. I watched as he glanced down at me and his smile grew. "You looked like you were having fun out there" He mentioned nonchalantly as we walked back to the Choir room.

"I could say the same for you, Marky Mark" I joked, laughing softly at my own joked. I was surprised at how good it felt to really laugh again; it felt like forever since I had done so. Although seeing Jessie still hurt, doing 'Give Up The Funk' helped to lift some of the weight that had been pushing me down. Finn laughed in response and shook his head, no doubt remembering the 'Good Vibrations' number he did with Mercedes and Noah. "Don't get me wrong," I added after a moment, "You guys were good. I just had no idea you could get down with 'The Funky Bunch'" Another laugh escaped me, this one more heart-felt as he laughed with me.

"Yeah well, I'm full of surprises" He retorted as we finally reached the room, both of us still laughing. After we had entered behind everyone else and took our seats, Mr. Schue began speaking again.

My mind drifted briefly to how things had changed over the past few weeks. The whole 'Run Joey Run' drama had, without a doubt, started all of it; for which I take full responsibility. That's when Jessie stopped talking to me, and when the real mess began. I had no idea that, while he was gone, he had re-joined Vocal Adrenaline and single-handedly ended our relationship. That, of course, led to the infamous egging and humiliation that started my down-ward spiral. It started with my lack of enthusiasm for anything, then I stopped singing all together. Finally, I gave up on the gold stars; my trademark. Its not that I had lost all faith in becoming a star, but I lost my will to sing. Jessie's prank had left me heartbroken, embarrassed, and ashamed; none of which encouraged me to sing. Every time I tried, the image of the day I first met him would flash through my mind and I would break down all over again. Since I couldn't sing, I figured we would lose Regionals and I lost hope in ever getting at least my fifteen minutes. So I simply stopped using the stars, they were too much of a painful reminder. I threw out every packet of gold stars I owned and tried focusing on anything else. Until this past Tuesday, of course, when I had found a new packet tapped to my locker.

At that moment, my mind drifted to something else; Finn Hudson. He had been there for me through all of it. Whether we were friends, or I was pushing him into being in a relationship with me, or he was waiting patiently for me while I was with Jessie, he never really left my side. He was the one to hold me when I cried the night of the egging, he was the one who sang to me in front of the entire Glee club, and he was the one who noticed when the gold stars stopped. How was it that I never realized any of this before? I'd be lying if I said he had nothing to do with my recovery, because had it not been for Finn, I probably would have skipped Glee all together for the first few days after the incident. I'd also be lying if I said I no longer had feelings for him; I don't think they've ever truly went away. But a part of me still felt like it was too soon; the other part was trying to resist just telling him how I felt and getting it over with. Chancing a look at him, I felt myself blush slightly when he turned to look at me as well. A small smile began tugging at the corners of my lips when he flashed his crooked smile at me, and I did my best to push down the butterflies that erupted in my stomach.

Thankfully, I chose that moment to refocus my attention to the lesson Mr. Schuester was giving. The first words I heard from his mouth sent a familiar thrill through me, and I bit my lip lightly as I considered raising my hand.

"Alright, does anyone have any ideas as to what we can do for Regionals?" He asked, glancing around the room. I instantly felt several pairs of eyes on me, and knew immediately that this was the moment that would determine whether or not I was truly letting of what had happened go. Hesitantly, my hand went up.

"I have a few ideas, Mr. Schue" I announced. Several relieved sighs came from around the room, and I saw a few people smile through the corner of my eye. Mr. Schuesters eyes seemed to light up at my words, and I let a smile cross my face as well. As I stood in front of the class and explained a few of my ideas, none of which were all that good even by my standards, I heard something that made me smile just a little wider.

"Looks like Rachels back" Kurt had said to Mercedes.

"Its about time, too. Otherwise, we wouldn't stand a chance at Regionals" She responded.

Before I was able to finish explaining my ideas, the bell rang ending class. Grabbing my things quickly, I smiled and nodded as Mr. Schue told me it was good to have me back, before finally leaving and heading towards my locker with Finn in tow. The two of us talked aimlessly until we got outside and began heading towards our cars.

"So what are your plans for today?" I asked, glancing up at him for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

"Not much. I was going to head over and visit Sean for a few hours. And you?" He asked as we finally reached our own cars. Just as I was about to answer, something next to him in the distance caught my attention.

"What do you mean 'they pulled it off'?" Shelby practically yelled at Jessie and a few other members from Vocal Adrenaline as they stood looking depressed and ashamed. It wasn't the sight of Jessie that sent a pang to my heart, however. It was Shelby, my mother, the woman who gave me life, the woman who seemed to not even notice that I existed. Finn caught sight of what I was starring at and knew instantly what was going through my mind.

"Forget about it Rachel, no good can come out of going over there" He said as he stood next to his car. Furrowing my eyebrows, I gave a defeated sigh and nodded before opening my car door.

"Yeah, your probably right" I agreed, looking up at him one last time. "See you later, Finn" I said quietly before closing my door and starting up the car. Within minutes, I was driving off towards my house without a look back. The sight of Shelby had pulled at the rip in my heart again, and I reminded myself briefly to thank Finn for not letting me go talk to her, only to have that wound reopened. Still, it hurt to simply think about my mother, and all the silly dreams I'd had as a child about what it would be like to find her.

Tossing those thoughts from my mind once I had arrived home, I decided I wasn't going to let thoughts of her or Vocal Adrenaline ruin my weekend. The minute I got to my room, I got out my video camera and started my newest Myspace video. The song? Don't Dream Its Over- the Sixpence None The Richer version. The next week or so would be exhausting and demanding with preparations for Regionals, so any extra stress was the last thing any of us needed. Pushing all other thoughts from my mind, I sang my heart out in front of the camera, and spent the rest of the weekend brainstorming ideas for the final competition.

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**A/N- **Alright, so this might be the worst chapter yet, and I'm sorry for that. But I just kind of needed a bridge to get to where I'm going next. What did you guys think of me throwing Shelby in there? Was it too much? Thoughts and opinions are more than welcomed, so keep them coming. The next chapter will be up soon, so bare with me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**- If I owned any of this, Emma would have slapped Terri during 'Vitamin D' and Finn would have kicked the crap out of Jesse when he had the chance (: Enjoy!

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**Finns POV**

"Alright, this is getting a little too real for me. I think I'm gonna call it a night. Sorry Mr. Schue, but I have to get home." Pucks voice fills the room. It has been completely silent for the last twenty minutes or so, aside from the occasional sniffle or hiccup. "You coming with me, babe?" I watch as Quinn swallows hard before nodding, doing her best to keep her tears at bay. I've long since come to terms with the fact that, once the news of Puck being the baby's real father spread around school, the two would eventually get together. The pain from that wound had subsided once Jesse St. Jackass came around. Everyone mumbles brief 'Good-byes' as the two shake Mr. Schuesters hand and leave. The silence continues on for a few minutes after the door closes behind them, then I hear it. The sound I've been praying that I wouldn't hear tonight. A soft sigh escapes the petite brunette next to me, the kind of sigh that rarely ever passes through Rachel Berry's lips. One of defeat, of hopelessness.

"I think I'd better get going too. My dads will be wondering where I am" She explains as she stands to her feet. The pain in her voice feels like a knife cutting into me, this is killing both of us and shes barely holding back a sob. As she gives Mr. Schue a one-armed hug and heads for the door, it hits me that everyone is so willing to just let everything that we had worked for all year die with the news of Sue Sylvester's position at Regionals. _No_, I decide._ I'm not just going to let it all go to waste, I'm not going to let Rachel and the others give up so easily. This isn't over_. Before she is able to reach the door, I'm on my feet and quickly making my way over to her.

"Rachel" I say, trying to keep my voice even. She refuses to turn and face me, instead keeping her hand on the doorknob. "Your just going to leave? After all the work we did this year, your just going to walk away? We haven't lost yet, come on." I know I sound pathetic, but pleading seems to be my only option left.

Shaking her head, she finally turns to look at me. She looks so heartbroken, like making this decision has been the hardest thing shes ever had to do. "Finn," She begins softly, "You know as well as I do that no matter how hard we try and no matter how good we are, we're not going to win. Not with Coach Sylvester as one of the judges. Why put ourselves through that kind of disappointment?"

"This isn't you, Rach. You never just give up like this, your always the one pushing us to keep going. How can you just let everything we've worked so hard for go at the last minute?" Our voices are both lowered at this point, making it nearly impossible for anyone in the other room to hear us. Without another thought, I gently grab her hand that isn't resting on the doorknob and give her a final pleading look. "Come on, Rachel. Please stay" As we stand there in silence for a moment, I can practically see her heartbreak in her eyes as tears well up behind them.

"I have to go. I'm sorry, Finn" Her voice was barely a whisper, and she finally looks back down to the floor as she tries to keep from letting any of her tears escape. After another half of a second, she turns and leaves without a look back. I stare at the door in front of me for a long moment, taking several deep breaths and closing my eyes for a minute before returning back to the living room. All hope I was feeling in the pit of my stomach vanishes as I see the rest of the Glee club grabbing their coats and getting ready to leave.

A few mumble a quick "See you tomorrow, Finn." before exiting out the same door Rachel had just left from, leaving me sitting on the edge of the couch with a blank expression on my face. Glancing up at Mr. Schue, I see the same mask of disappointment clouding his features that I'm positive is mirrored on to mine. _How could everyone just give up like that? After all the stuff we've gone through as a team this past year, they just want to give up and throw it all away? _With a slightly frustrated, slightly defeated sigh, I finally stand and grab my own jacket.

"I tried to get Rachel to stay, Mr. Schue." I say as I give him a quick handshake and make my way towards the door. "See you tomorrow" After mumbling this, I head back home in a haze of disappointment and shock. _I really thought at least Rachel would have stayed, shes always been the most determined. Thinking back though, I cant remember a time when I've ever seen her look so defeated. _By the time I get home, I've already made up my mind. I'm not going to let it die without a fight like the rest of them are. Somehow, I'll convince Rachel that we can do this. Shes stubborn, but I'll do whatever it takes to get her heart back into this. I'm not saying we're going to win, that's a long shot. But we're at least going to try.

As I'm climbing into bed, something Rachel said to me a few months back hits me, making me even more determined to put my plan into action. I'd asked her why Glee club meant so much to her, and the passion and determination in her eyes as she explained was impossible to miss. "_All I've wanted my entire life was to be on Broadway, to see my name in lights. Winning, or even placing at Regionals just brings me that much closer to my dream_." She went on to explain how her years of training had almost assured her that there would be other opportunities for her 'light to shine', but it was better to start as early as possible. As I begin to slip into unconsciousness, somewhere in the back of my mind I realize that Rachel's dreams, along with the fate of Glee club, are on the line. With that knowledge, I decide that the first thing I'm going to do in the morning will be to find Rachel and convince her that this is worth fighting for. I'm not going to let this fall apart.

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**A/N**- Okay, so its the shortest one so far, but I don't think its too terrible. I just watched 'Journey' again the other day and wanted to dive a little deeper into what Finn said on the stairs before Rachel kissed him (sighs). As always, leave reviews and tell me what you think. I love feedback! The next chapter should be up really soon (and will most definitely be a lot longer than this one), sometime within the next two days or so. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, wont happen again (: Oh, and I'm working on a few other pieces that should be up pretty soon, so be sure to check them out too. One of them is definitely more intense than the stuff I normally write, but I think its still worth reading. Reviews are lovely.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**- I own nothing except the laptop used to write this on. Enjoy (:

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**Finns POV**

There she is, just a few steps ahead of me. This is it, I've been looking for her all day and I'm not about to let her get away without at least trying. "Hey" I say rather loudly as she descends down the stairs. "We need to talk". I have to let out a deep breath when she turns to face me before going to talk face to face. Once I'm at eye level with her, its plain to see that shes still torn up about what happened last night. After a moment of simply trying to reconstruct my thoughts, it all begins pouring out of me. I continue to go on and on about how she is our leader and how having her constantly pushing us motivates us, and how we need her to win. She looks shocked, a normal reaction. Even I'm surprised by the amount of authority in my voice, I don't usually take control like this. My speech is short and to the point, but I can tell she hears me out loud and clear.

Her next reaction, however, is not so expected. About five seconds after I finish, her hands are on my shoulders and her lips are pressed to mine. I'm momentarily stunned, and all thoughts escape me for several seconds. Before my mind begins to work again and I'm able to make sense of whats going on, shes pulling back. My mouth hangs open slightly as oxygen rushes to my brain, and I am completely aware of the confused expression on my face as I keep my eyes on her lips for that split half of a second. Realization hits me like a ton of bricks once my eyes find hers again, and my expression softens. The look on her face is timid, almost afraid of my reaction. _Please God, tell me I did not just imagine that_. I think to myself. Almost as if to answer my silent prayers, her expression changes. A slow smile spreads across her face, its a shy smile, but it almost looks as if shes proud of what she has done. As she stands before me with her hands still resting gently on my shoulders, several seconds of silence pass between us. I'm still in shock. Deciding to break the silence, she is the first to speak up.

"I'm in" Her voice is soft and quiet, yet full of determination and excitement.

"You're...?" Somehow, I'm still at a loss for words. It isnt as if we've never kissed before, but this one felt different. Like the beginning of something, a fresh start.

"I'm in. You're right, we cant just let it end like this. We cant just go down without a fight, not when we're this close" And just like that, her passion and determination seems to have found her again. I finally find the ability to shut my mouth, and nod at her in response. Its taken me until just now to realize I've pretty much remained silent since she kissed me. Finally, a smile begins to form on my face and I simply continue to nod in agreement. "Come on, lets go tell Mr. Schuester about our plan" Her excitement is contagious, and we're soon walking off towards the Choir room together.

"What exactly is our plan?" I ask stupidly. The only thing I'm able to think of at the moment, besides the kiss, is the fact that we need to come up with an actual plan in the first place. Has she already come up with something?

"That we're not going to give up. We're going to see this through till the end. This isn't over" She explains as she looks up at me. Within seconds, we're entering Mr. Schues room. "Mr. Schuester, Finn and I have something we want to say to you." She begins.

Class begins then as me and Rachel take our seats, and Mr. Schue starts speaking to us as usual. Theres something different about him though, something I can't quite place. Theres a sadness in his voice, almost as if hes trying to prolong all of our final classes as long as he can.

"Life only really has one beginning and one end, and the rest is just a whole lot of middle" He explains. I look at Rachel seated beside me when I feel her eyes on me for a moment, and see the unshed tears behind them before she quickly offers me a sad smile and looks down. Giving her the only half smile I can manage, I soon after cast my glance downwards as well. As Mr. Schue continues, theres a slight lift in the atmosphere when he mentions 'Dont Stop Believing', and I'm unable to hide the small smile that rests on my lips as I think back to the song that had truly brought the club together.

"We're doing 'Dont Stop' at Regionals?" Rachel asks, also unable to hide a smile thats threatening to break across her face. I look at her for a long moment, my own smile growing, before looking back at our teacher. Once the words 'Journey Medley' escape his mouth, Rachel and I turn to each other with the realization that our plan has already been set into action, both of our smiles growing as we catch each others eye. The rest of class proceeds pretty much the way it normally would, with everyone talking about regionals and Mr. Schue explaining his ideas. Its no surprise when everyone whole-heartedly agrees to the song choices, hes always had a way of knowing exactly what songs would work the best together. Quinn and Puck leave class early with the excuse of a doctors appointment, and quickly say goodbye to everyone as class carries on. While everyone else is up and talking animatedly with each other, Rachel remains quiet for the most part, only voicing her opinions when asked.

"Hey" I greet softly as I sit back down next to her after having a quick conversation with Mike and Artie. "You alright? You're being kind of quiet" Her answering smile causes my heart to do an unsteady jolt in my chest, one I've started getting used to lately.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She promises softly, nodding her head as she looks back down at her hands as they rest in her lap. "Just thinking about everything thats happened this past year. It almost doesn't seem real, you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, definitely. So much has happened" I agree, staring at nothing in particular as I think back over the past nine months. A quiet laugh passes through me as I think back to when football and Quin were all I cared about, back to before I'd even met Rachel. Officially, that is. Its no secret that choosing to stick with Glee had come with endless slushie facials, not to mention being ridiculed by my teammates. But as I look at the brunette sitting next to me, I realize that it was by far the smartest decision I've ever made. These people, all of them, have become like a second family to me. Granted, things haven't always been perfect. Far from it actually. Regardless, they've always been there. Kurt slushied himself for me, Puck let me beat him to a pulp after I found out the baby wasn't mine, and Rachel.. She has never ceased to amaze me. Probably never will.

The final bell rings not too long after our short conversation, and we all bid our 'Good-byes' as we head off on our seperate ways with promises to see each other tomorrow. I stand in the background as Tina and Rachel end their short conversation by Tina's locker, both laughing softly at a joke I cant hear. Rachels eyes find mine as she looks up, and she is soon making her way over to where I stand by my own locker. That familiar smile is still in place on her lips as she approaches and stands in front of me, both of us remain quiet for a short minute.

"Thanks again for earlier, Finn. I mean, I guess our 'planning' was a little unnessacary considering Mr. Schue was never really intending on giving up, but I really admire your determination. The fact that you weren't willing to give up without a fight shows a lot of maturity." I keep my eyes in my locker as she speaks, feeling my smile growing a bit more with her words. "Alright, well I've got to go talk to Mr. Schuester about the choreography before he leaves, so I'll see you tomorrow" She ends with a final parting smile. I look up at her just in time to see it, my eye catching hers before she heads back to the Choir room.

As I watch her walk away, a familiar thrill passes through me and I'm once again unable to hide the smile that stretches across my face. Seans words ring through my mind again, and I'm hit with another realization. Its something I think I've known all along, but never actually had the decency to admit to myself. Dialing a familiar number, I'm soon greeted by Seans moms voice.

"Hey Mrs. F, its Finn. I can't stop by today, but could you tell Sean something for me?" I ask before continuing. "Tell him I said that he was right about me and Rachel...Thanks" I hang up quickly after and, with another sigh, put the last of my books in my locker before heading out. As I drive home, I make another goal for myself. It might be too soon, but she has the right to know. Before school gets out for the summer, I'm going to tell Rachel exactly how I feel. The only question that remains is how exactly I'm going to do it.

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**A/N**- Alright, so its not the best chapter, but not the worst either. I wanted to get a look inside Finns mind during the 'Kiss/Classroom discussion' scenes, and maybe I completely screwed it up or maybe I did some good here. You decide and let me know. I also sort of felt like there should have been a little extra scene in the Choir room, but again..Maybe thats just me. Reviews are like oxygen to me, so keep them coming. The next chapter will be up soon, and I'm going to have one of my other pieces up pretty soon, so keep an eye open for it (: Thanks lovelys.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**- Nothing is mine, though that much should be obvious by now O_o

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**Finns POV**

The week leading up to Regionals was more demanding than any of us thought possible. I got home every night and all but dropped dead of exhaustion the minute I walked in the door. No matter how worn out we all were after practice though, the excitement never seemed to die down. The actual competition was on Saturday and we would need to be up early, which meant everyone was going to need a full nights sleep. Thats why Mr. Schue told us Wednesday that practice for today, thursday, would be running till around eight at night. None of us, except Rachel of course, could hold back a groan when that was announced.

After school, we all got the chance to run home to drop our stuff off and change into more comfortable clothes before returning to the auditorium. By this point, we've gone through five test-runs with a few minor setbacks. The first time Brittany tripped, taking Matt down with her. The second time Santanas phone started ringing and everyone let out a long groan, as we were almost done our first successful practice. Then the last three arent even worth mentioning, as they were pretty destructive. Which brings us to where we are now.

The music starts up once again as I stand just right of the stage behind the curtain, out of the audience's view until I hear my cue to begin. I glance up at the person a few yards from me on the other side of the stage with a small smile before stepping out. Rachel stands there looking excited, also out of viewing range, and I can feel her eyes on me as I begin to sing. Before too long, her voice follows mine and she is making her way out to the front of her side of the stage. We simply stand for a moment as the words escape us, looking at each other before going on with the rest of our planned choreography. As our voices mesh together in perfect harmony (If I ever said that out loud, Puck would gladly slap me upside the head), I briefly try to think back over to just how I'm going to tell the brunette singing her heart out how I feel about her. I've tried several times over the past few days, but we were either always interrupted or too busy to talk for a long period of time. Before I'm able to dwell too much on these thoughts, however, the curtain behind us seperates and opens up the rest of New Directions as they join in with us. Not long passes before the song gradually starts to slow down as the parting notes fade in.

"_Faithfully_" As we finish off the song together, looking at each other as we do so, we simply smile as the music fades out before walking back to join the rest of them where they are lined up. Almost before I'm ready, the music for our next song begins and we continue on with our routine. When we reach the point where Brittany had fallen the first time and pass it without incident, theres a sudden lift in the atmosphere and we continue on with no more problems. 'Dont Stop Believing' goes by perfectly, which doesn't surprise anyone. That song has always been our strong suit.

Pride rushes through all of us once we finish, and Mr. Schue is quickly telling us to try to do it exactly like that again. Several sighs escape a few of my teammates, but we all get back into position as the music starts back up again. Everything seems to be running smoothly until Santana accidentally bumps into Matt and steps on his foot. From there, things sort of go down hill. Mr Schuester lets out a slightly frustrated sigh and asks us to begin again.

"Alright guys, from the top" He calls out from his seat at the desk in the audience.

"Mr. Schue, can we take a break? We've been at this for nearly two hours and I need to sit down for a minute" Quinn asks from where she stands, half leaning against Puck with a somewhat annoyed look on her face.

"Sure, go ahead. You guys can take a half hour to cool down a bit, relax" He agrees reluctantly, looking at his phone again as we all scatter off the stage and in our own directions. Reaching the edge of the stage, I take a seat and let my legs dangle down beneath me as I grab my water bottle.

"I'm goin' the get something from the vending machines down the hall. Anyone want anything?" Mercedes asks from somewhere behind me. As people start giving her money and telling her what they want, and annoyed sigh escapes her before Kurt offers to go with her. "Anyone else want anything before we leave? I'm only making one trip" She calls out on her way to the door, causing most of us to roll our eyes.

"Hey" A familiar voice greets from behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I see Rachel taking the last few steps before sitting down next to me, a water bottle of her own in hand.

"Hey stranger" I say with a small smirk, causing her to smile. "You're doing really good with the whole dancing thing, by the way. It feels like we've been at this forever, though" I say quickly before taking another sip.

"Thanks, you're doing really well too, Finn. Everyone is, actually. We might be messing up a lot, but we're definately getting better. I think everyone is starting to feel a little better too. Well, except maybe.." Her glance floats back to Matt whose sitting on the stage steps with Mike, still examining his foot. I can't help but laugh at the site, seeing as how he sustained far worst injuries during football season.

"Poor guy" I joke, causing Rachel to laugh as well. "So are you nervous about Regionals?" I ask after a short moment of comfortable silence.

"I don't know, really. I rarely ever get nervous about performing, but a part of me is worried I'll make a mistake and it will cost us our win" I can tell its hard for her to admit, as she looks down at the bottle cap shes playing with in her hands. I sigh as I briefly think of what to say, and settle for the first thing that comes to mind; the truth.

"Rachel, you're amazing. You're going to knock them dead at Regionals because thats who you are, its what you do. You're the most talented person I know, and you have nothing to worry about, believe me. Maybe we'll win and maybe we won't, that much doesn't matter right now. I mean, it would be awesome if we _did_, but the important thing is that we got to this point. Yeah, we all worked really hard to get to where we are, but we also know that we never would have even qualified for regionals without you. You're going to blow them away on Saturday, we all are. The other teams don't stand a chance" I smile at her a bit as I finish, seeing her own stretching across her face and the light blush that rises to her cheeks.

"Thank you, Finn. That's... probably the nicest thing anyones ever said to me." She says with a small laugh, looking up at me almost shyly. Someone behind us calls her over, to which she quickly looks over her shoulder for a moment before turning back to me. Before I know it, her hand is resting lightly on my thigh and her lips are pressed to my cheek. "Thank you" she whispers in my ear before standing and walking over to where she was called.

All I'm aware of as shes walking away is the burning in my cheeks and the tingling feeling thats left over from where her hand and lips were just pressed. I'm barely aware of the smile thats formed over my face as I take yet another drink from my water bottle, hearing someone else sit down next to me. Looking up, disappointment briefly washes over me when I see Puck sit down.

"So what? Are things finally starting up with you and Berry again?" He asks with a raise of his eyebrow.

"I have no idea what your talking about" I scoff, looking anywhere but at him.

"Your a bad liar, dude. First of all, everyone saw what just happened. Second of all, you guys have been like, longing for each other all year. Its gotten to the point where some of us have taken bets on when you two will finally get together."

"Alright, I'm not having this conversation with you" I answer simply before getting up and walking away. Turning around I see Rachel talking to Tina and Artie, and she looks up just in time for our eyes to lock for a moment. We simply smile at each other for a moment before Tina tries to get her attention again.

"Alright, we're back!" Kurt announces as him and Mercedes walk back through the auditorium doors. "Come grab what you want before someone else does"

As I make my way over to Mike and Matt, I see Rachel being pulled by Tina towards the food and soon feel my hand being pulled on as well. I can't help but laugh at the joking desperation in Rachel's eyes as she pulls me along with them. Tina, who seems to have not even noticed the newest addition to their little party, continues talking about the chips she asked for. 'Help Me' Rachel mouths, causing me to laugh again.

"I give them till Sunday at the latest" I hear Matt mutter to Mike and Puck as they head towards the food. With a small smirk, I stick my foot out as Matt's walking by and watch as he almost falls on his face. Receiving a slap on the shoulder from Rachel and an evil glare from Matt, I simply continue on with them with the smirk still resting on my face.

After everyone has finished eating and taking a break, we're back to work. Luckily, the rest of practice goes by without any more incidents and, after running through it about eight more times, Mr. Schue lets us go home almost two hours earlier than expected. Something we're all more than thankful for due to our exhaustion.

Over the second half of rehearsals, I decided I would tell Rachel on Saturday how I feel about her. It wouldn't exactly be the most romantic thing in the world, but regionals is a big deal for all of us, especially her. I don't know how and I don't know exactly when, but by the time regionals is over on Saturday, Rachel Berry will know that I'm in love with her.

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**A/N**- Hmm, not entirely sure how I feel about this chapter, but I don't think its too bad. Hopefully you guys agree. I know its taken forever to update this one, but I've been working on a few other projects as well. As always, review and tell me your thoughts and opinions on the newest chapter. I live for the feedback (:

**Coming up next**: The morning of Regionals!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**- Everything belongs to Ryan Murphy, hes the mastermind behind all of this.

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**Rachel's POV**

I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock going off exactly fifteen minutes before six. As 'Anyway You Want It' flows through the speakers, I already feel the nerves in my stomach forming. Artie suggested listening to Journey before we actually left for Regionals to get us in the mood, which makes perfect sense, I must admit. Climbing swiftly out of bed, I carry on with my usual morning routine, trying my best to ignore the huge butterflies in my stomach. This is it! A few hours from now, we will be performing at Regionals! _Regionals_! We've come so far this year and we actually made it! Nervousness fades briefly, being replaced by overwhelming pride in New Directions. I already have my outfit for the bus ride there picked out, so I have ten extra minutes to prepare everything else I need.

We all agreed to wait until we got there to truly get ready, meaning hair, make-up, and putting the dresses on. After packing a small bag full of the things I'll be needing, a thought occurs to me. I all but run to get my phone from its charger and send a quick text to Finn before resuming with my previous task.

**Please tell me your awake! Mr. Schue wants us to be in front of the school in less than a half hour. -R**

Several minutes pass before I finally get a response, and I feel a look of shock cross my face once I read it.

_Already on my way. Stopping to get something first, but I'll be there ;) -F_

How is it possible that he is ready before I am? I think to myself as I toss the small bag over my shoulder. Making sure I have everything I'll need, I quickly slip on my flats and grab the heels I'll need for my dress before heading downstairs. Dad and daddy are at the kitchen table, one of them reading the newspaper while the other pours himself a glass of orange juice.

"Sweetheart, you look adorable" Daddy says as he looks up at me from the newspaper

"Thanks daddy, but this isn't what I'll be wearing on stage." I reply, quickly glancing down at my pink and white stripped shirt and black shirt. "The dresses are already waiting for us in the dressing rooms, we're getting ready there." I explain with a small smile. "You two are coming to see us perform, right?"

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, pumpkin" Dad says, placing the orange juice back in the fridge. I quickly kiss them both on the cheeks as they wish me good luck on my way out the door.

By the time I actually get in the car, my nerves have returned and I'm almost hyperventilating. I drum my fingers on the steering wheel and take several deep breaths to calm myself down, and soon begin driving off towards the school. _Everything is going to be fine, Finn was right. We have nothing to worry about, we're amazing! The judges are going to be blown away by our performance, and we're going to win this, _I tell myself. Swiftly glancing down at the clock, I see I still have over fifteen minutes to get to school. A feat I'm thankful for when I pull into the parking lot, as it will give me more time to prepare myself. I spot several of my club mates, and breath a sigh of relief when I notice there are still quite a few missing. I'm not the last one to arrive. Seeing Finn instantly, I pull up next to his truck where he waits with that familiar half-smile on his face.

Cutting the engine, I grab my bag from the passenger seat and quickly get out of the car, hanging my bag over my shoulder once again. Finns smile seems to grow at the sight of me, and I feel my own smile mirroring his.

"Good morning" I greet him as cheerfully as I can, briefly waving to Mr. Schue to let him know I've arrived.

"Good morning" He says back simply. Looking back at him, I notice he still looks somewhat tired, but like hes in the process of waking up. "I got you something" As he says this, I realize he has two cups in his hands, one of them extending to me. "I know you don't really drink coffee, so I got you some hot green tea instead"

My smile continues to grow as I take the cup gratefully, noticing as I take a sip that his smile has turned into a smirk. "Thank you" There's a slight pause as I take in his expression and tilt my head a bit, narrowing my eyes. "What? Whats so funny?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised I beat you here, thats all. You're usually the first one to show up" His small smirk is playful and light, but the way hes looking at me tells me hes nervous about something.

"Yeah well, nobodys perfect" I answer with a small shrug. "Finn, we're going to do fine, remember? Like you said, we have nothing to worry about. We're going to blow the judges away" As the words escape me, I feel myself believing them as well. I'm suddenly much more confident about the competition. Just as I'm about to go on, Mr. Schue's voice interrupts me.

"Alright guys, now that everyones here. We can get this party started!" He calls out enthusiastically, smiling widely. "Lets load up onto the bus and get out of here, huh?" Its impossible not to laugh a bit at his energy, and Finn and I simply shake our heads at the sheer thrill of what the next few hours will bring.

"Come on" I encourage, feeling the excitement bubbling inside of me as I grab the hand that isnt holding his coffee and begin pulling him with me. He simply laughs and follows, taking the last sip of his drink before tossing it in a nearby trash can.

As we get closer, I can see all the familiar faces of New Directions piling onto the bus. Dropping Finns hand, I flash him another smile before turning and stepping into the large vehicle. A soft chuckle passes through my lips as I see the variety of expressions written across everyones faces. Some look like they just woke up, some as if this were the greatest day of their lives, and others look as if they are about to jump off a cliff. Shaking my head, I find an empty seat and slide in against the window, placing my bag under my seat.

"This spot taken?" Looking up, I see Finn standing there giving me the smile that makes my heart speed up in my chest. There's still a nervousness in his eyes that I cant quite place, but something tells me its nervousness about something other than Regionals.

"Of course not, go ahead" I answer, looking down at the seat next to me briefly before my eyes flash back up to him. As he sits down, theres a small, comfortable silence between us and Mr. Schuester checks one last time to make sure we're all on board. Once hes finished, I turn to the tall boy next to me with a careful smile. "Finn, whats wrong?" I ask, cutting to the point.

He looks somewhat surprised as he glances back over at me, like he didn't think I noticed anything was wrong. "Nothing, I'm fine. Just...still a little nervous, I guess" He isn't lying, that much I know right away. He is, however, holding something back. There's something he isn't telling me, but I don't push too hard as I know all too well how that could turn out.

"Finn, we have nothing to worry about. You said it yourself, remember? We're going to knock the judges off their feet. Vocal Adrenaline might be good, but we're better. They don't have the heart that we do, which takes some of the impact out of their performance" I encourage, keeping my eyes on him and my voice somewhat low. "And yes, I'm a little nervous too but I'm not about to let that stop me from doing my best. Everything will be fine Finn, okay? It doesn't matter if we win or lose, remember? All that matters is that we made it this far in the first place" As I repeat his speech back to him almost word for word, a smile begins forming over his face and he shakes his head lightly.

Finally looking up at me, he stays silent for a moment. "I guess your right. Its kind of pointless to really be nervous now when its going to happen anyway" Unable to help myself, I simply stare at him for a moment.

"Finn, are you sure Regionals is the only thing that's bothering you? You seem a little...off" I ask as nicely as I can, hoping it doesn't come out the wrong way. Either way, he looks back down to his lap as another smile crosses his features. Just as he opens his mouth to respond, however, his phone begins going off. As to not be rude, I look away as he reads over the text message, and see him look to the front of the bus to glare at someone before closing his phone.

"Its nothing, I promise. I'll be fine" He assures me with his famous half-smile. "I do need to talk to you later though, just us" His cheeks turn a light shade of pink as he says this, causing a million questions to race through my mind. Just as I'm about to ask why we can't just talk about it now, he continues. "Its just...kind of important and I don't want to do it when there's eleven other people around to hear our conversation" His voice is low, almost as if hes embarrassed.

My heart gives an unsteady beat in my chest, and I feel blush of my own rising to my cheeks. A part of me can't decide if I'm more nervous or excited about whatever thoughts are running through his mind, while the other part of me is thankful we are waiting until later to discuss whatever it is.

"Alright," I agree with a small nod of my head as I look back to my hands that rest in my lap. "Later is it than"

The rest of the bus ride is mostly filled with us talking either to each other or the people around us about what the next few hours will bring. Tina, who is seated in front of me, explains her nervousness about performing tonight. Her parents will be attending the show and they've never actually seen her perform before, making her ten times more nervous than she should be. Artie and I offer up some words of encouragement which seem to help a bit, but there is still an anxiousness in her eyes as she turns back around in her seat.

Over the next two hours, the question of what Finn wants to talk about continues to circle around in my mind. He falls asleep about an hour into the drive, and its impossible not to notice how utterly adorable he looks. There's an innocence about him that most of the other guys in the group seem to lack, a look that shows off just a bit of his vulnerability. His head soon falls onto my shoulder, a task I would have thought all together impossible given our height differences, and my heart all but jumps out of my chest.

He wakes up about ten minutes before we arrive, and gives me an apologetic look for having used me as a pillow. Laughing softly, I simply shake my head and tell him its perfectly fine and that I didn't mind, which causes his barely-there-blush to return. Glancing quickly at my watch, I realize we still have a little over six hours before we even perform. _Its going to be a long morning_, I tell myself somewhat bitterly as Mr. Schue tells us we've almost arrived.

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**A/N**- I'm really not crazy about this chapter, but I don't think its the worst I've written so far. As always reviews are loved! The next chapter should be up pretty soon, definitely within the next couple of days. Thank you guys so much for sticking with me, and I really hope this chapter wasn't too terrible. Feedback is amazing!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**- Really quick, I just want to thank all of you so much for all of your support! Just got to 50 reviews and its all thanks to you guys! Sorry this chapter sucks, writer block strikes again.

**Disclaimer**- Ryan Murphy is the amazing mastermind behind all things Glee, not me. Speaking of which, anyone else SUPER excited about the new season? :D

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**Finns POV**

"This dress makes me look huge" Quinns voice announces as she enters the lounge area designated for our team, Mercedes and Tina following close behind her.

"You're pregnant, what did you expect?" Puck asks rhetorically, earning him a slap on the back of the head as she passes behind him. "Don't get me wrong, you look hot. Total MILF" The room gets quiet for a few long seconds after he says this, and all of us stare at him for a minute.

"You're an idiot" Matt mutters, fixing his tie for the millionth time. While most of us guys were ready in a little over twenty minutes; the girls ended up taking over an hour. Not that they didn't look great, its just the fact that they started a half hour before us and weren't done until ten minutes after. _Speaking of which, where are the rest of them? _I think silently to myself, glancing at the door.

"Where are the rest of the girls? They're not done yet?" Artie asks, repeating my own question.

"Brittany and Santana were right behind us.." As Mercedes trails off a bit towards the end, the two girls in question enter behind them. Matt whistles in appreciation for the two Cheerios, to nobody's surprise. Hes never been good at hiding his feelings for Santana. He'd confided in me once that she was the reason he chose Glee over football.

"What about Rachel?" I ask finally from my seat on the arm of the couch, casting my glance at the door again.

"When we left, she was finishing up her hair and make-up" Brittany announces with a small shrug. As everyone else falls back into what they were doing before they began getting ready, I simply remain seated and begin nervously messing with my tie. Over the last five hours, we've managed to get a lot done and still have time to at least try and relax. The first two and a half hours were spent going over our routine a dozen times until we got it perfect, after which we got a chance to eat and hang out before going to our dressing rooms to begin getting ready. Now we still have an hour left to kill.

While everyone else spent the relaxation time discussing the performance and our competition, my mind was occupied with something else entirely; how exactly I'm going to tell Rachel how I feel. She asked me a few times during practice if I was alright and why I was being so quiet, causing me to simply chalk it up to being nervous. What I'm nervous about, however, she has no idea.

Another few minutes pass and the conversations around the room begin again, some people laughing and enjoying themselves while others look terrified. The door finally opens, and my throat goes dry at the sight before me. Even though all the girls are wearing the same thing, Rachel pulls it off the best. Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe how she looks right now, and as my heart seems to pound into overdrive just by looking at her, I realize I'm in way too deep. She looks nervous, but the anxiousness written across her face only adds to the appeal.

Tina says something to her from her spot by the door, to which Rachel gives a small laugh and nods in agreement. When she looks back up, her smile seems to grow as she makes her was over to me; my own smile grows in response and I straighten up a bit.

"Hey Finn" She greets, almost shyly.

"Hi Rachel" Hard as I try to sound relaxed and smooth, my voice still comes out somewhat choked due to the effect she has on me. Everytime shes around I swear I can all but feel it getting worse. _How does she not know?_ I wonder silently, trying my hardest not to stare at her.

"You alright?" Her voice is calm, but holds the same nervousness it has all day. There's a bit of that fear in all of us by this point; the thought of losing tonight and saying good-bye to everything we've grown used to over the past nine months is almost too much to bear. Mr. Schuester has forbidden us from even considering any of that. Its not the possibility of losing that's got me tongue-tied, though. Its the fact that sometime within the next hour, the girl in front of me will know that I'm in love with her.

"Oh, yeah. I'm just...You look amazing" The words come out before I have time to filter them, the last three words softer than the others. The faintest blush rises to her cheeks and she opens her mouth to respond just as Tina comes over to drag her away. Something about a new app she got for her iPhone or something, I'm not really paying much attention. With an apologetic glance towards me, Rachel lets herself get dragged off. Its impossible to miss the fact that Tina, Artie, and Rachel have gotten somewhat closer over the past few weeks. A part of me is glad for this fact because it means they are finally starting to see what I've seen in her from the beginning; the other part of me sort of misses the days where I seemed to be her only friend.

Before I know it, Mike and Matt are engaging me in a conversation about their predictions for baseball season. I listen in amusement as the two of them fight over who will most likely be heading back to the World Series; Matt believes it will be the Phillies while Mike is persistant on the Dodgers stealing the win this year. I don't usually pay much attention to the sport, but given the results of the past two or three years, I have to side with Matt. My attention keeps drifting back into and out of the conversation, and I offer up a few laughs or comments to let them know I'm listening. In truth, my mind is on the brunette across the room.

Once her face pops into my mind, I instinctively look up to where she is. As luck would have it, she glances up at the same time and our eyes lock. Everything around me disappears in that instant as I recognize the look shes giving me. Its the one that now has the ability to completely stop my heart as well as my breath; the one she gave me before Jesse was even in the picture, before I broke her heart to find my Inner Rockstar. An electric current shoots through me and my heart slams against my chest. It takes all my strength not to walk over to where she is and tell her how I feel. _Its a good thing Puck cant see into my mind, _I think to myself._ He'd never let me live any of this down._

The sound of Mike trying to get my attention pulls me back into the conversation just as Rachel looks back at the phone in Arte's hand.

"Oh shit, theres only a half hour left" Puck announces before standing up and walking over to the speaker thats hanging on the wall. Its amazing how much tension begins to fill the air as everyone takes in that simple fact. My own nervousness over our performance begins to bubble up and I begin to fidget with my tie again.

"I'm getting kind of thirsty, I'm going to go see if I can find a vending machine or something" Rachel announced, smoothing out the skirt part of her dress as she heads for the door. "Anybody want anything?" The room replies with a few soft 'No's or shakes of the head. I simply watch as the door closes behind her.

Several minutes pass by and, when she still hasn't returned, curiosity sparks in me. "I'll be back" I mumble as I head to the door. Walking out, I realize she probably just needed some space from the sudden tension that filled the room. I reach the corner of the hall and am about to turn around when I hear an all too familiar voice close by.

"Hello Rachel" My hands ball into fists out of habit at the sound of Jesse's voice, and a brief shot of hatred courses through me. As much as I want to, I can't bring myself to turn and head back to the room anymore; my feet are glued to where I stand.

"Oh, hello Jesse" Her voice is strong, professional as always, with a very clear hint of annoyance.

"I just came to wish you good luck. You guys are clearly going to need it now that I've transferred back" There's a short silence before she says anything, and, though I cant actually see her, I already know the stance shes taking; turning to face him with a look of determination on her face.

"Contrary to what you may believe, you're not as good as you think you are" Ouch. "You guys might be good singers and have a few decent dance moves, but its going to take more than that to beat us. I know that you're afraid to admit it, but you know just as well as I do that we actually have a chance at winning this. I actually feel sort of bad for you. This is your last year at Carmel, and you're going to end you're high school career with the knowledge that you lost at Regionals" Her entire speech is done perfectly in her natural 'I'm a professional and I'm _going_ to win' tone, and I soon hear her footsteps begin to get further and further. Until Jesse St. Jackass speaks up again, then they stop completely.

"You know that I didn't have a choice in the egging, Rachel. None of you respected me or any of my ideas. I had no choice but to go through with their plan, they're my team"

"But I was your girlfriend" Her voice is just above a whisper, barely loud enough for me to hear in the open hallway.

"Like I said, I had no choice" That sends me over the edge, I can no longer just stand here and listen while he reminds her of what I know to be the most humiliating thing thats ever happened to her. Something in me snaps.

"Thats complete bullshit and you know it" I all but yell as I turn the corner into the hallway to face the two of them.

"Finn?" Rachel's voice is soft and confused, almost a whisper as she turns to face me. I don't say a word to her, still focusing my attention on not hitting the lead singer of the competition.

"You didn't have to do anything, you chose to do it. You chose to humiliate the one person you know didn't deserve it. You made her believe you actually cared about her, that she could trust you" With each word, my voice gets a little angrier.

"Finn, come on. Hes not important, lets just go back to the room" Rachel pleads as she walks over to us before I'm able to do something I'll regret later. I feel her tiny hand gently pull on my much larger one, but I keep my eyes on the guy in front of me. His expression is cocky, but I can see the hint of genuine fear in his eyes.

"You were lucky enough to have her, then stupid enough to let her go. Shes the greatest thing that will ever happen to you, and you just pushed her out of your life." I pause for a short minute to look him up and down in disgust. "You did this to yourself" And with that, I turn back to the brunette whose hand is still holding mine, and let her lead me back to the room.

Once we turn the corner and are far enough away from Jesse, she steps in front of me, causing me to stop short. I cant quite place the look she gives me before I feel her arms wrap around my torso, but it causes my heart to do what has become a very familiar thump against my rib cage.

"Thank you" Her voice is soft, almost to the point where I cant hear it as its muffled by my shirt. I cant stop the small smile from spreading across my face at how genuinely touched and surprised she sounds that I stood up for her. "I should have listened to you from the start" With this, she pulls back and looks up at me; this is it. I have to tell her now, this may be my last real chance for the rest of the night.

"There's something I have to tell you" I let out a quick sigh as I look back at her, knowing what I'm about to say is going to change things from here on out. My stomach is in knots and my heart is threatening to beat out of my chest. "Rachel.."

"Hey, there you guys are!" Matt's voice floats from down the hall, interrupting me. "We were beginning to think the two of you fell off the face of the Earth!" Laughing at his own joke, he takes the final few steps to where we are and places a hand on each of our shoulders. "Come on, Oral Intensity is about to go on, then we're up after them. Everyone is still back in the room" Rachel and I share a quick glance before doing as we're told and following Matt.

It isn't long before we arrive, and I'm just now realizing that Rachel didn't get her drink, which is what she originally claimed to have gone out for. "Just a little warning though, everyones a little...anxious about performing. When I left, Mercedes was pacing and Tina was breathing into a paper bag." And with that, he opens the door and I let Rachel head in before slowly following after her.

"Remind me to kill you later" I mutter to Matt as I pass, glaring at him for ruining the moment between Rachel and I.

"What the hell did I do?" I simply roll my eyes at his creased brow at enter the room, sighing at the sight in front of me. Just about everybody in the small room is visibly a nervous wreck. Through the speaker, we hear the announcer introduce Oral Intensity as the music starts to play, and half the people in the room are suddenly on full alert, listening to the competition as if their lives depended on it. Once again, me and Rachel look at each other for the quickest moment, both of us knowing its pretty much up to us to keep everyone calm. Sometimes, being the co-captain sucks.

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**A/N**- Alright now this might possibly be the worst chapter yet, and I'm so super sorry it took so long to post it! Things have been kind of crazy here due to a death in the family, and I've had writers block. No worries though, I'm back and it can only get better from this chapter on. Sadly though, this story will be coming to a close pretty soon. If you guys want a follow-up, let me know and I'd be more than happy to write one :) Until then, reviews keep me going!


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